Wagering game method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method for playing a wagering card game includes accepting between 1 and n wagers where n is a positive integer, dealing a house card, dealing a first card to a first player, comparing the first card to the house card, and paying all payouts won. The first player wins a payout as a function of a first wager and a first payout rate if the first card has a lower value than the house card, and loses the first wager if the first card has a value greater than or equal to the house card. If the first player has a second wager and has won on the first wager, a second card is dealt and compared to the first card, and another payout is won as a function of the second wager and a second payout rate if the second card has a lower value than first card.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 60/797,483; filed May 4, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for playing an elective wagering game that can be played as a live casino table game (i.e., as a card game) or in electronic video device versions.

Casinos and other game suppliers are continually seeking new games that offer participants desirable wagering opportunities. Many gaming participants seek a game that is relatively easy to understand, offers small wager opportunities, offers large payout opportunities, and is enjoyable and entertaining. At the same time, casinos and other game providers seek to provide games that not only satisfy potential participants' desires, but also address institutional concerns such as providing odds favorable to the “house” and providing games with relatively quick “hands”.

SUMMARY

A method for playing a wagering card game includes accepting between 1 and n wagers where n is a positive integer, dealing a house card, dealing a first card to a first player, comparing the first card to the house card, and paying all payouts won. The first player wins a payout as a function of a first wager and a first payout rate if the first card has a lower value than the house card, and loses the first wager if the first card has a value greater than or equal to the house card. If the first player has a second wager and has won on the first wager, a second card is dealt and compared to the first card, and another payout is won as a function of the second wager and a second payout rate if the second card has a lower value than first card. The method of the present invention also includes an alternative embodiment where a card having a greater value than a card to be beat wins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a gaming space according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a player space of the gaming space of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a portion of a round of play according to the game of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for playing a wagering game, the objective of which is to draw a card that “ducks” (i.e., is lower than) a card to be beaten, which is a card previously dealt to either the house or the player. Hence, the game is titled “DUCK”. The game can be played as a live card game, as in a casino table game setting, or electronically, as on a slot machine, on the Internet, or on any other electronic gambling device.

In general, game play proceeds as follows. Before dealing beings, each player makes one or more elective wagers. The game rules can require than each of a player's wagers be of equal value. A dealer, representing the house, then deals one card to the first player (and potentially to each other player) and one card to the house (i.e., one card is dealt to the dealer). Play proceeds with a first player's hand (or turn). If the first player's (first) card is lower than the house's card (i.e., the first player “ducks” the house's card), the first player wins a sum based on the first bet made by the first player. If the first player wins the first bet and has made a second wager, the dealer deals the first player a second card. If the first player's second card is lower than (i.e., “ducks”) the first player's first card, the first player wins a sum based on his or her second bet. Cards continue to be dealt to the first player as long as the first player has an outstanding, uncovered bet, and until the first player fails to draw a card lower than the card to be beaten (i.e., the house's card in the case of the first card or the first player's previous card for subsequent cards). A “push”, which occurs when a dealt card matches the card to be beaten, normally ends the first player's hand. At the end of a hand, when the first player has covered all bets, pushed, or failed to “duck” a card, all of the first player's uncovered bets are won by the house. Once the first player's round is complete, the dealer turns to the second player and continues as with the first player, and so on for every player in the game.

After the last player is done with his or her hand, the deck is shuffled (when playing the game using a single-deck), and a new round begun with new bets being placed. A single deck, shuffled before each new round of betting, obviates the problem of players “counting cards” before making a wager.

Whether the cards are dealt face up or face down; whether each player initially receives a card or the play of the first player is completed before the second player receives a card is of no consequence. If all cards are dealt face up, it will be clear that some players will have lost as soon as the house's card is turned up. The wagers of these losing players can be collected before the first player (i.e., the active player) is dealt a second card, leaving only winning players on the table. Alternatively, players' cards may be dealt face down and each player's card turned up only when that player's turn arrives. Such game play choices do not affect game outcome, only the ambiance and tension of the game.

The odds of a player getting as many as five cards progressively lower than the dealer's card are slim. This allows the game to accommodate substantial payouts for small wagers, even if the game rules limit each play to at most five wagers for five potential cards. This is expected to appeal to many players.

Card valves can vary as desired. In one embodiment, cards are valued as in bridge or poker (i.e., queen is lower than king), but with ace cards valued as “1” (i.e., the lowest card in at deck). Alternatively, cards might be valued as in blackjack (i.e., king through 10 are valued at “10” and ace is “11” or “1”). In that case, when the dealer gets a king (or queen, jack, or 10), the player wins (and does not push) only after being dealt a nine or lower. Ace is normally valued as “1” in this case, but could alternatively be valued “11” for the house and “1” for players, which would shift the odds more in favor of players and payout rates would generally be lower. These alternative game play scenarios would affect the odds of the game and the level of payout that would leave the game still profitable for the house, but would not change the spirit or scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a gaming space 20 having a table area 22. The gaming space 20 is generally like a conventional blackjack table used on a casino floor, but can have markings specific to the “DUCK” game on the table area 22. Table area 22 provides a house card location 24, and a number player spaces 26A-26G. As explained in greater detail below, the player spaces 26A-26G provide areas for player cards and wagers. In further embodiments, the gaming space 20 can include other features (not shown), such as chip and money holders for use by a dealer and detailed playing rules.

While the gaming space 20 of FIG. 1 is shown and described with respect to a physical table, it should be appreciated that the gaming space 20 can be applied to video gaming systems as well. For instance, a conventional casino floor video gaming unit could produce a display on a video monitor resembling at least a portion of the gaming space 20 (see FIG. 2). Alternatively, a web page could provide an interface similar to gaming space 20 or a portion thereof (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 2 is a top view of one player space 26 on the table area 22 of the gaming space 20, shown as the player space 26 would appear to a game player. The player space 26 includes markings 30 that are generally descriptive of the game rules, stating “House wins push on first card.” The house rule indicated by markings 30 means that if a player's first card matches that of the dealer/house, the player loses. Other rules can be similarly published on the player space 26. Likewise, marking 31 provides player instructions such as where betting chips or the like are placed. The markings 30 and 31 are meant to be demonstrative of possible rules, and are not exhaustive.

Additional markings on the player space 26 indicate card spaces 32A-32E where up to five cards C1-C5 will be dealt for each player and wager spaces 34A-34E where a player can place from one to five wagers W1-W5 (not shown) . . . , starting with card 1 (wager space 34A) and, at the player's option, progressing up to card 5 (wager spaces 34B-34E). The card spaces 32A-32E are each located adjacent to the wager spaces 34A-34E, respectively. As detailed below with respect to FIG. 3, the player using the player space 26 will then be dealt one or more cards C1-C5 (not shown), with the number of cards dealt depending upon the number of wagers placed and the player's success at “ducking” cards to be beaten during game play. Payout rates for “ducking” cards to be beaten are noted as payout markings 36A-36E adjacent to each of the wager spaces 34A-34E, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, payout rates are as follows: pay 1:1 for first card (wager W1 and payout marking 36A); pay 3:1 for second card (wager W2 and payout marking 36B); pay 10:1 for third card (wager W3 and payout marking 36C); pay 40:1 for fourth card (wager W4 and payout marking 36D); and pay 150:1 for fifth card (wager W5 and payout marking 36E). These payout rates are exemplary, and are provided by way of example and not limitation. These exemplary payout rates are expected to yield an acceptable profit to the house, but can be varied in further alternative embodiments as desired.

The foregoing describes play where each player is limited to five potential cards. However, more or fewer cards could be dealt to each player without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, assuming that the game rules dictate that the house wins a push on the first card, it would be possible to allow players to make up to twelve wagers and potentially be dealt twelve cards (i.e., assuming a conventional 52-card deck is used, ace has value “1” and the house is dealt a king). However, the likelihood of a player winning all twelve sequential bets in a game of “DUCK” is nihil—billions to one. In order to make the last several of these twelve bets “fair”, that is, enticing or attractive to players, the house would likely have to offer exceedingly high payoffs. Allowing twelve bets would invite fraud, in particular in a live table game version (as opposed to video version) of the game. Although the game will allow as many as twelve cards to be dealt to any player, concerns about extremely large payoffs may limit the number of possible cards dealt to players to a number less than twelve. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the maximum number of cards dealt to a player in a hand can be limited to five.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a portion of a round of play in a game of “DUCK”, following the play for a single player (Player 1) in a game allowing up to five wagers W1-W5 for five cards C1-C5. The game can be played using a gaming space as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, or in other settings. As shown in FIG. 3, Player 1 has made all five possible wagers W1-W5. If fewer than five wagers were made by Player 1, the last card (corresponding to Player 1's final wager) W1, W2, W3 or W4 would be treated in a manner similar to the player's fifth card C5 in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the wagers W1-W5 are in terms of general tokens, each having a value 1. In further embodiments, the wagers W1-W5 can be made be made in any currency, chips, tokens, credits, etc., and payouts would simply change proportionately with wagers made in units as they differ from 1. As will be understood from this example, the “card to be beat” begins with a Dealer or House card D, and then becomes each player's previous card C1-C4 as the player continues in the game.

Initially, in the illustrated embodiment, the Dealer deals a first card C1 to each player participating in the game, and then a dealer card D to the House (step 100). As discussed above, the players' cards C1-C5 can be dealt face up or face down. The flow chart shown in FIG. 3 reflects a game play scenario where cards are initially dealt to all players at once and each players' hand is addressed sequentially, although other scenarios are possible. For instance, in alternative embodiments, cards can be dealt just to the House and the first player, with cards dealt to any other players at a later time.

After the Dealer has dealt a single (first) card to each player and to the House (step 100), a comparison is made between the dealer card D and Player 1's first card C1 (step 102). Player 1 faces two possibilities: (I) if Player 1's first card C1 has a value equal to or greater than the House card D (i.e., the initial card to be beaten), Player 1 loses all wagers W1-W5 and Player 1's turn is ended (step 104); or (II) if Player 1's first card C1 has a value less than the House card D, Player 1 wins, receives a payout P1 based on his or her first wager W1 and the designated payout rate (e.g., 1 token for each 1 token wagered as shown in FIG. 2 at the payout marking 36A) and then is dealt a second card C2 (step 106). If Player 1's turn ends (Step 104), the game proceeds with Player 2's hand (i.e., go to step 140).

If Player 1 has succeeded in reaching step 106 (i.e., Player 1's first card C1 was less than the house card D), a new comparison is made between Player 1's second card C2 and Player 1's first card C1, which is the new card to be beaten (step 108). Player 1 now faces three possibilities: (III) if Player 1's second card C2 has a value greater than Player 1's first card C1 (i.e., the new card to be beaten), Player 1 keeps previous winnings P1 (from wager W1), loses the current wager (W2), loses higher bets (wagers W3-W5), and Player 1's turn is ended (step 110); (IV) if Player 1's second card C2 has a value equal to Player 1's first card C1, Player 1 keeps previous winnings P1 (from wager W1), breaks even on the current wager W2 (i.e., keeps wager W2), loses higher bets (wagers W3-W5) and Player 1's turn is ended (step 112); or (V) if Player 1's second card C2 has a value less than Player 1's first card C1, Player 1 wins and receives a payout P2 based on his or her current wager W2 and the designated payout rate (e.g., 3 tokens for each 1 token wagered as shown in FIG. 2 at the payout marking 36B) and then is dealt a third card C3 (step 114). If Player 1's turn ends (steps 110 or 112), the game can proceed with Player 2's hand (i.e., go to step 140).

If Player 1 has succeeded in reaching step 114 (i.e., Player 1's second card C2 is less than Player 1's first card C1 and Player 1's first card C1 is less than the dealers card D), a new comparison is made between Player 1's third card C3 and Player 1's second card C2, which is the new card to be beaten (step 116). Player 1 then faces three possibilities: (VI) if Player 1's third card C3 has a value greater than Player 1's second card (i.e., the current card to be beaten), Player 1 keeps previous winnings P1 and P2 (from wagers W1 and W2), loses the current wager W3, loses higher wagers W4 and W5 and Player 1's turn is ended (step 118); (VII) if Player 1's third card C3 has a value equal to Player 1's second card C2 (i.e., a “push” occurs), Player 1 keeps previous winnings P1 and P2 (from wagers W1 and W2), breaks even on the current wager W3 (i.e., keeps wager W3), loses higher bets (wagers W4 and W5) and Player 1's turn is ended (step 120); or (VIII) if Player 1's third card C3 has a value less than Player 1's second card C2, Player 1 wins and receives a payout P3 based on his or her current wager W3 and the designated payout rate (e.g., 10 tokens for each 1 token wagered as shown in FIG. 2 at the payout marking 36C) and then is dealt a fourth card C4 (step 122). If Player 1's turn ends (steps 118 or 120), the game can proceed with Player 2's hand (i.e., go to step 140).

If Player 1 continues to win, the progression through comparisons of Player 1's fourth and fifth cards C4 and C5 (steps 124 and 132) is essentially the same as with Player 1's second and third cards C2 and C3, with only pay-outs P4 and P5 differing for each respective wager (wagers W4 and W5). For each card C4 and C5, Player 1 has three possibilities: losing (steps 126 and 134), pushing (steps 128 and 136) or winning (steps 130 and 138). When Player 1's wagers W1-W5 have all been addressed, Player 1's hand ends because of a loss on any card C1-C5, a push on any card C1-C5, or a win on all cards C1-C5 and Player 2's hand begins (step 140). Player 2's hand is followed, in a similar manner, by hands for all other players in the current game.

It should be noted that all winnings or payouts P1-P5 can be paid to a player as each card C1-C5 is addressed, allowing the player to collect the winnings at successive stages of the game. Alternatively, winnings could be dispensed at the end of a player's hand or at the end of a round of the game (i.e., after all players' hands are finished).

Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the game could be played with higher cards beating lower cards (such a game might be called “BEAT” rather than “DUCK”). The general steps of game play in such an alternative embodiment would be similar to those described with respect to FIG. 3, however, a player wins a particular bet/wager (e.g., steps 106, 114, 122, 130 and 138) when the player's current card is greater than the card to be beat.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, custom decks of cards could be used having card values or other characteristics that differ from conventional 52-card decks; poker or blackjack card values can be used; and rules applicable to a push can vary. 

1. A method for playing a wagering card game, the method comprising: accepting between 1 and n wagers for each participating player, where n is a positive integer representing the maximum number of possible wagers in a hand; dealing a house card; dealing a first card to a first player, wherein the first player's first card is associated with a first wager; comparing the first player's first card to the house card, wherein the first player wins a payout as a function of the first player's first wager and a first payout rate if the first player's first card has a lower value than the house card, and wherein the first player loses the first player's first wager if the first player's first card has a value greater than or equal to the house card; if the first player has a second wager and has won on the first wager, dealing a second card to the first player; if a second card has been dealt to the first player, comparing the first player's second card to the first player's first card, and wherein the first player wins a payout as a function of the first player's second wager and a second payout rate if the first player's second card has a lower value than the first player's first card; and paying all payouts won by the first player to the first player.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein n is equal to five (5).
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first player loses all of the first player's wagers if the first player's first card has a value greater than or equal to the house card.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first player keeps the first player's second wager if the first player's first and second cards are equal in value.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first player loses all of the first player's wagers other than the first player's first wager if the first player's second card has a value greater than or equal to the first player's first card.
 6. The method of claim 1 and, after all of the first player's card have been addressed, further comprising: dealing a first card to a second player, wherein the second player's first card is associated with a first wager; and comparing the second player's first card to the house card, wherein the second player wins a payout as a function of the second player's first wager and a first payout rate if the second player's first card has a lower value than the house card, and wherein the second player loses the first wager if the second player's first card has a value greater than or equal to the house card.
 7. The method of claim 6 and, if the second player has a second wager, further comprising: dealing a second card to the second player; if a second card has been dealt to the second player, comparing the second player's second card to the second player's first card, and wherein the second player wins payout as a function of the second player's second wager and a second payout rate if the second player's second card has a lower value than the second player's first card; and paying all payouts won by the second player to the second player.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the house card and each of the first player's cards are all dealt from a single deck of cards.
 9. A method for playing a wagering card game, the method comprising: accepting between 1 and n wagers for each participating player, where n is a positive integer representing the maximum number of possible wagers in a hand; dealing a house card; dealing a first card to a first player, wherein the first player's first card is associated with a first wager; comparing the first player's first card to the house card, wherein the first player wins a payout as a function of the first player's first wager and a first payout rate if the first player's first card has a greater value than the house card, and wherein the first player loses the first player's first wager if the first player's first card has a value less than or equal to the house card; if the first player has a second wager and has won on the first wager, dealing a second card to the first player; if a second card has been dealt to the first player, comparing the first player's second card to the first player's first card, and wherein the first player wins payout as a function of the first player's second wager and a second payout rate if the first player's second card has a greater value than the first player's first card; and paying all payouts won by the first player to the first player.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein n is equal to five (5).
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first player loses all of the first player's wagers if the first player's first card has a value less than or equal to the house card.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first player keeps the first player's second wager if the first player's first and second cards are equal in value.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first player loses all of the first player's wagers other than the first player's first wager if the first player's second card has a value less than or equal to the first player's first card.
 14. The method of claim 9 and, after all of the first player's card have been addressed, further comprising: dealing a first card to a second player, wherein the second player's first card is associated with a first wager; and comparing the second player's first card to the house card, wherein the second player wins a payout as a function of the second player's first wager and a first payout rate if the second player's first card has a greater value than the house card, and wherein the second player loses the first wager if the second player's first card has a value less than or equal to the house card.
 15. The method of claim 14 and, if the second player has a second wager, further comprising: dealing a second card to the second player; if a second card has been dealt to the second player, comparing the second player's second card to the second player's first card, and wherein the second player wins payout as a function of the second player's second wager and a second payout rate if the second player's second card has a greater value than the second player's first card; and paying all payouts won by the second player to the second player.
 16. The method of claim 9, wherein the house card and each of the first player's cards are all dealt from a single deck of cards.
 17. A wagering game method comprising: (a) accepting one or more sequential wagers by a player for a hand; (b) dealing a house card, wherein the house card is initially designated as the card to be beat; (c) dealing a first player card, wherein the first player card is initially designated the card in play; (d) determining a value relationship between the card in play and the card to be beat; (e) paying out a sum at a first payout rate if the card in play has a predetermined value relationship to the card to be beat; (f) if the sum is paid out at step (e) and the player has at least one unaddressed wager, dealing another player card; (g) if the sum is paid out at step (e), redefining the card to be beat to be the card in play; (h) if the card to be beat is redefined at step (g), redefining the card in play to be the last player card dealt at step (e); and (i) repeating step (e) and subsequent steps if conditions for the performance of those steps are met.
 18. The method of claim 17 and further comprising after step (a): accepting one or more sequential wagers by a subsequent player for the hand.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined value relationship is defined as the card in play having a value less than the card to be beat.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined value relationship is defined as the card in play having a value greater than the card to be beat. 